Cursillo

The other day a friend asked me what I meant by saying that a Cursillo was the most significant event on my spiritual journey. I knew what I meant, but I could not express it in a nutshell. I think Catholics, particularly Irish Catholics, are not accustomed to giving personal testimonies or witness talks. Yet that is what Christ told his disciples to do --- to be his witnesses to the ends of the earth. When I was younger two topics were taboo in polite society in Ireland: religion and politics.

But times change...


I made a Cursillo forty years ago. My friend Sean and I drove 600 miles to Conyers, GA and checked into the Cistercian Monastery about 5:00 p.m. We were assigned beds then met about 50 other men in the refectory for dinner. After dinner we assembled in a conference room, introduced ourselves, and were seated in groups of six or seven. We stayed in those groups for the next three days, sharing our reaction to fifteen talks on living our Christian faith in our families and communities. Discussions were led by team members in each group, and summaries were presented each night before night prayer.

On Sunday evening each participant gave his feedback on the program. For many this was a highly emotional response; for me a rather matter-of-fact, "I thought it was good. I would recommend it to anyone who was interested in it". (There was another young Irishman there who had a somewhat similar response. Whoever said the Irish are excitable?)

We drove back home that night through heavy fog, scared every time a big sixteen-wheeler roared past us on the highway. Sean was highly excited about the Cursillo and helped me stay awake as he talked all the way home.

A month later someone called to invite me to an area meeting. I went, glad to see my companions from the week-end.In the course of the evening I found myself saying "If that's what God wants, I'll do it." Of course I had no idea what God wanted, but that was still my reaction.

That response changed my whole life. It left me open and vulnerable in many ways, but it also introduced me to a wholly new sense of the Church community and a far more effective ministry in that community. The dry, juridical role of the parish administrator was replaced by a joyful experience of forming and leading a community with an enthusiastically shared vision of God's presence among us. And the pinnacle of that experience was the Eucharistic celebration...